The Broom o the Cathery Knowes
THE MAID FREED FROM THE GALLOWS—B
[_]
Motherwell MS., p. 290, from the recitation of Widow
McCormick; learned in Dumbarton.
1
‘It's hold your hand, dear judge,’ she says,
‘O hold your hand for a while!
For yonder I see my father a coming,
Riding many's the mile.
2
‘Have you any gold, father?’ she says,
‘Or have you any fee?
Or did you come to see your own daughter a hanging,
Like a dog, upon a tree?’
3
‘I have no gold, daughter,’ he says,
‘Neither have I any fee;
But I am come to see my ain daughter hanged,
And hanged she shall be.’
4
‘Hey the broom, and the bonny, bonny broom,
The broom o the Cauthery Knowes!
I wish I were at hame again,
Milking my ain daddie's ewes.
5
‘Hold your hand, dear judge,’ she says,
‘O hold your hand for a while!
For yonder I see my own mother coming,
Riding full many a mile.
6
‘Have you any gold, mother?’ she says,
‘Or have you any fee?
Or did you come to see your own daughter hanged,
Like a dog, upon a tree?’
7
‘I have no gold, daughter,’ she says,
‘Neither have I any fee;
But I am come to see my own daughter hanged,
And hanged she shall be.’
8
‘Hey the broom, the bonnie, bonnie broom,
The broom o the Cauthery Knowes!
I wish I were at hame again,
Milking my ain daddie's ewes.
9
‘Hold your hand, dear judge,’ she says,
‘O hold your hand for a while!
For yonder I see my ae brother a coming,
Riding many's the mile.
10
‘Have you any gold, brother?’ she says,
‘Or have you any fee?
Or did you come to see your ain sister a hanging,
Like a dog, upon a tree?’
11
‘I have no gold, sister,’ he says,
‘Nor have I any fee;
But I am come to see my ain sister hanged,
And hanged she shall be.’
12
‘Hey the broom, the bonnie, bonnie broom,
The broom o the Cathery Knowes!
I wish I were at hame again,
Milking my ain daddie's ewes.
13
‘Hold your hand, dear judge,’ she says,
‘O hold your hand for a while!
For yonder I see my own true-love coming,
Riding full many a mile.
14
‘Have you any gold, my true-love?’ she says,
‘Or have you any fee?
Or have you come to see your own love hanged,
Like a dog, upon a tree?’
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